<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
    "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<head>
    <title>YES - Reviews</title>
    <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />
    <meta name="Author" content="Fernando H. Canto" />
    <meta name="Keywords" content="Yes, reviews, albums, Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Fragile, Close To The Edge, Tales From Topographic Oceans" />
    <link rel="stylesheet" title="Classic Blue" href="code/classic.css" />
    <link rel="alternate stylesheet" title="Plainish" href="code/plain.css" />
</head>

<body>

<h1>
    YES
</h1>

<div class="quote">
    "Plus Peter Banks, Tony Kaye, Alan White, Patrik Moraz, Trevor Horn, Trevor Rabin, etc., etc., etc..."<br />

    <img alt="Howe, Bruford, Anderson, Squire and Wakeman: The 1972 line-up" src="images/yes.png" />
</div>

<div class="members">
    Steve Howe, Bill Bruford, Jon Anderson, Chris Squire and Rick Wakeman.<br />

    <a href="http://www.southparkstudios.com/games/create.html">South Park Create-A-Character</a>
</div>

<p class="albumList">
  <a href="#album">The Yes Album</a><br />
  <a href="#fragile">Fragile</a><br />
  <a href="#edge">Close To The Edge</a><br />
  <a href="#oceans">Tales From Topographic Oceans</a><br />
  <a href="#relayer">Relayer</a><br />
  <a href="#one">Going For The One</a><br />
</p>

<p>One of the bands that suffered more line-up changes in rock history, Yes was the band that, along with King Crimson, popularised Progressive Rock and brought it forward, before many other bands began to join the bandwagon (namely Emerson Lake and Palmer, Genesis, you know the list). Before the landmark <strong>The Yes Album</strong>, Yes were just a psychedelic pop band. But Jon Anderson and Chris Squirre felt the need to upgrade their band musically, bringing in complexity into their material. Thus, they dumped their guitarist Peter Banks and brought in Steve Howe, and later on dumped their keyboardist Tony Kaye and brought in Rick Wakeman. Basically, they were searching for the biggest virtuosos to handle their instruments, while Jon would take the band's main songwriting role. That lineup (Anderson, Squirre, Howe, Wakeman and Bruford) formed the "classic" line-up, but this line-up would change a dozen more times later on.</p>

<p>Yes may or may not be the "quintessential Prog," seeing as they <em>always</em> counted with high instrumental skills, and managed to balance (most times) complex tunes with "accessible" elements, staying away from being weirdos like King Crimson or snobs like ELP. They, in my opinion, succeeded in being a well 'balanced' Progressive band. Their "classic" material is memorable, catchy, intruguing and challenging all at the same time. Of course, their carreer followed a path of endless ups and downs after <strong>Going For The One</strong>, but that's for later. Is <strong>Big Generator</strong> such a suckarse album? Is <strong>Open Your Eyes</strong> worth anything? Is Trevor Rabin a real wanker? Is Jon Anderson a good dancer? The answer to this is... I don't know, so... on to the reviews.</p>

<p><em>Reader comments:</em></p>
<div class="commentsHeader">
      <strong><a href="mailto:daniel.rainey@rogers.com">Daniel Rainey</a> (January 18, 2004):</strong>
</div>

<div class="comments">
<p>
      Actually, just so you know, Yes' first guitarist was Peter Banks not Steve Banks.<br />

      <span class="edNote">[editor's note: Thank you for reminding me: correction made.]</span>
</p>
</div>

<div class="commentsHeader">
      <strong><a href="mailto:couzijn@ilo.uva.nl">Michel Couzijn</a> (April 2, 2005):</strong>
</div>

<div class="comments">
<p>Dear Sir Mustapha,</p>

<p>I immensely enjoyed reading your Yes reviews. Finally a reviewer who is motivated to do some repeated listening - and it shows! I hope that you will one day publish a review of the (IMO underrated) <strong>Tormato</strong> album. Even if your opinion is adverse to mine, I will be glad to read it. <span class="edNote">[editor's note: your request is noted!]</span></p>

<p>Cheers,</p>

<p>Michel Couzijn<br />
Amsterdam, The Netherlands</p>
</div>

<p><a href="mailto:sirmustapha@gmail.com">Mail your ideas</a>!</p>

<hr />

<h2 id="yes">Yes (1969)</h2>
<p class="medium">
  Best song: <big>Looking Around</big>
</p>
<div class="medium">
  Track list:
</div>
<ol class="trackList">
  <li><span class="good">Beyond And Before ++</span></li>
  <li>I See You <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li>Yesterday and Today <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li><span class="good">Looking Around ++</span></li>
  <li>Harold Land <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li><span class="good">Every Little Thing ++</span></li>
  <li>Sweetness</li>
  <li>Survival <span class="good">+</span></li>
</ol>

<p>Yes's debut is a quite obscure record. And for those familiar with the '72-onwards era of the band, I guess it's pretty tough to imagine how their <em>debut</em> sounds like. I mean, it's not a famous album, so it can't possibly have a lot to do with the Yes we all know and love/hate, right? Surprisingly, that isn't the case. I guess its obscurity is a result of its "unprogness" - that is, how much it lacks those elements that many see as <em>essential</em> for Progressive rock, especially the kind that Yes would do later on. But the first incarnation of Yes, which had guitarist Peter Banks and keyboardist Tony Kaye, isn't at all a different monster. It's instantly recognisable Yes: the combination of pouncing drums and fat bass, the clever songwriting, the layered vocal harmonies are all there in their entirety. You just can't expect the songs to be as long and intricate as you'd expect them to be, as a fan of "classic" 70's Yes. This only means a different approach to songwriting, and one Yes fans simply can't miss.</p>

<p>Anyway, I don't see why Yes fans should wrinkle their noses to the idea of Yes playing cover songs ('America', remember?), and as such, there are two of them here. But the most important thing is that the two songs become <em>completely different things</em>, and both of them display all the skills they display on their other, self-penned songs. The Byrds' 'I See You' features a slightly dark, jazzy performance, filled with guitar solos by Peter Banks. It's a pretty <em>grand</em>, powerful rendition, and in fact, the only thing here that shows blatant traces of jazz - a good thing! - without going overboard with it. The second is The Beatles' 'Every Little Thing', and on <em>that</em> one, the band sounds like real pranksters. I mean, someone listening to the album <em>without</em> checking out the track list would be caught by a monstrous, thuderous band performance collapsing over them for about a minute. And only after such breathtaking introduction, they come up with a vaguely familiar, recognisable riff - which the listener takes a couple of seconds to truly identify - and after everything goes quieter, Banks quotes 'Day Tripper'. What the <em>hell</em>? Oh, yes, it turns out to be a cover of 'Every Little Thing', and a highly clever, well-thought-out one, with wild dynamics and grand vocal arrangements making true justice to a rather simple, but charming Lennon composition. I like this cover a whole lot, specially as it shows the things you can do to a great melody - especially when it was pretty much overlooked on its original recording...</p>

<p>The original compositions are fully up to par, though. John Anderson and Chris Squire are the main creative force behind the band, and I guess the most... surprising things here are two very gentle, melodic ballads. 'Yesterday And Today' is short, cute and nice. 'Sweetness' is more puffed-up, but not at all in a bad way, and is extremely pretty. The highlights come with the more energetic, upbeat rockers, though. 'Beyond And Before' (which opens the album with a <em>one note</em> guitar riff) and 'Looking Around' are the best here, in my opinion, bringing those full-fledged vocal harmonies and great bandwork. You see, the songwriting here is already very smart and refined, so the impression that Yes was "simple pop" in the beginning is rather wrong; and the fact that they're organised as short, compact songs should only bother the most pompous prog rock snobs. Side B turns things around a little by bringing two more "serious" songs. 'Harold Land' is competent in delivering its war-related narrative, <em>and</em> is very, very nicely written. For some reason, both that song and the album closer, 'Survival' have a faster "bookending" section, which aren't very related musically to what's in between them. Maybe this indicates an attempt at making more than "songs", you know... But they really only sound like attempts, but it doesn't matter in the end. 'Survival' is also a very good song, with a slightly more epic feel than the rest of the album.</p>

<p>I like this album very much for, amongst other reasons, having a very welcoming atmosphere. And I think it shouldn't be at all overlooked, and in fact, should be seen as already a step towards progessive rock as we know it, no matter how tentative it might have been. Don't think of the album as a "documental" item, though. Pick it up and give it a listen, and maybe you'll find out - or be sure - that you are not the pompous prog rock snob you thought you were.</p>

<p class="ratingHeader">
  Rating:
</p>

<p class="rating">
  <big>Fun factor:  <strong>13/15</strong></big> - The enjoyability level is surprisingly high <em>and</em> consistent through the album.<br />
  <big>Resonance:   <strong>12/15</strong></big> - Ah, that youthful idealism...<br />
  <big>Originality: <strong>12/15</strong></big> - They were original and creative from the start.<br />
  <big>Richness:    <strong>13/15</strong></big> - Very well written songs and very good arrangements all over the album.<br />
  <big>Solidness:   <strong>12/15</strong></big> - Nice and cosy, so to speak.
</p>

<p class="ratingFinale">
  Total: <img src="images/12.png" alt="12" />
</p>

<p>Comments? Thoughts? Complaints? <a href="mailto:sirmustapha@gmail.com">Mail me</a>!</p>

<hr />

<h2 id="word">Time And A Word (1970)</h2>
<p class="medium">
  Best song: <big>Then</big>
</p>
<div class="medium">
  Track list:
</div>
<ol class="trackList">
  <li>No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li>Then <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li>Everydays <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li>Sweet Dreams <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li>The Prophet</li>
  <li>Clear Days</li>
  <li>Astral Traveller</li>
  <li>Time And A Word <span class="good">+</span></li>
</ol>

<p>This record shows us the more ambitious side of early Yes. You couldn't call their debut an <em>ambitious</em> record, but this one is. Like hell it is. There are, exactly like before, two cover songs, but the orchestral arrangements got thicker and more developed, and in order to make it all the <em>more</em> thick and developed, they added orchestral arrangements to the mix. And I mean that almost literally: it sounds like they had the completed, finished mix, and pasted the orchestral arrangements over them. If you go out and chase other opinions on the album, you'll see that complaining about the orchestra isn't really a very imaginative criticism. But I can't help it. The fact is that they rarely disrupt the music, but pretty much every orchestral arrangement could be easily discarded. The only song in which it's pretty much essential is the ballad 'Clear Days', which isn't even very significant, even. The arrangements are somewhat convoluted, and it's nothing compared to 'Yesterday And Today', for instance. It's one of the songs here that I can really pass.</p>

<p>The main symptom of the album, in general, is a lack of <em>truly</em> outstanding songs, and the presence of some unnecessary instrumental sprawling. The final result sounds like the <em>good</em> material of their debut LP is rather diluted here, and the ambitions are not truly fulfilled. Take 'The Prophet', one of the most "serious" efforts here. It hardly ever captures my attention, and the overall grandeur of the piece doesn't feel quite justified. There isn't a lot going on, truthfully; the main melodic content is nothing we've never seen before, and the instrumental passages try to go on a more "refined" direction, but not quite getting there. It's more like an indication of <em>what</em> they were aiming at, and nothing much more. 'Astral Traveller', on the other hand, <em>does</em> have a really good vocal melody -with the vocals ran through a Leslie speaker, giving it the necessary "astral" feeling - but the instrumental soloing in the middle, albeit extremely competent, lack the tightness to make the thing really hold up well.</p>

<p>The problems are more or less focused on that stretch of tracks. The rest of the album <em>does</em> present very good stuff, indeed. The arrangement of 'No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Required' is downright bombastic - in a GOOD way! - and fully exciting. It's also a good example of the unnecessary orchestral arrangements, but whoa, is it a good performance anyway. The other cover, 'Everydays', comes up as a quiet, bluesy tune in the verses, but suddenly explodes into a crazy, full-blown fast paced groove in the middle. The soloing <em>does</em> border on unnecessarily long, but they keep the changes coming. Similar thing happens with 'Then', which <em>is</em> a pretty funky and catchy number right from the start, and then breaks off into a very good instrumental break. Yet, it ends in an unusually "contemplative" note, with sparse instrumentation and tentative singing. Oh, yes, notice the orchestral blast at the end,but, heh, like I said... It sounds tacked-on, though not much.</p>

<p>The <em>real</em> surprises are the murderously catchy tunes they placed at the end of both sides. 'Sweet Dreams' is happy, bouncy and idealistic, and the title track is slow, sweeping and idealistic. Oh, yes, and both murderously catchy. The arrangement for the former is pleasantly restrained, though, and the instrumental soloing is very succint and doesn't break away from the context of the song. As for the latter, it has its fair share of syrup, but oh... come on, it's <em>Jon Anderson</em> we're talking about, not Roger Waters. And if you don't get used to <em>this</em> kind of stuff, you haven't got THAT much of a future listening to Yes, I suppose. But anyway, there are enough good songs and good material to make this album worth having, in case you like Yes more than a bit. If you're not too keen on them, you shouldn't really bother. Stick to the classics - though their debut still deserves a bit of consideration. As for this one, it gets a boring 11.</p>

<p class="ratingHeader">
  Rating:
</p>

<p class="rating">
  <big>Fun factor:  <strong>12/15</strong></big> - 11 would be a bit harsh, here. It is very nice most of the time.<br />
  <big>Resonance:   <strong>10/15</strong></big> - That youthful idealism... rather bogged down.<br />
  <big>Originality: <strong>11/15</strong></big> - It's not really much more fresh than the debut. And no, the orchestra does NOT help.<br />
  <big>Richness:    <strong>12/15</strong></big> - The good songwriting is STILL on display - 'The Prophet' aside.<br />
  <big>Solidness:   <strong>11/15</strong></big> - Not exactly a smooth ride.
</p>

<p class="ratingFinale">
  Total: <img src="images/11.png" alt="11" />
</p>

<p>Comments? Thoughts? Complaints? <a href="mailto:sirmustapha@gmail.com">Mail me</a>!</p>

<hr />

<h2 id="album">The Yes Album (1971)</h2>
<p class="medium">
  Best song: <big>Starship Trooper</big>
</p>
<div class="medium">
  Track list:
</div>
<ol class="trackList">
  <li>Yours Is No Disgrace <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li>The Clap <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li><span class="good">Starship Trooper ++</span></li>
  <li>I've Seen All Good People <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li>A Venture</li>
  <li>Perpetual Change <span class="good">+</span></li>
</ol>

<p>Many people might be under the illusion that this album is a radical transformation for Yes, but well, it isn't quite. Of course it's a <em>maturation</em> for the band, but if that's the case, then this album doesn't display the "finished" product. It is an important step for the band, though, and one of the definitive Prog rock records. Let's see,there are no orchestras whatsoever, no covers, and Peter Banks is here replaced by Steve Howe (after being kindly asked to leave the band, due to creative differences with the band - a decision he was <em>absolutely not</em> fond of). But what other changes are there? If we look closely, the band is really just trying here to get rid of anything that might make these songs look like "pop" songs. This kind of sofisticated songwriting and intricate arrangements were already present all over <strong>Time And A Word</strong>, and even their debut. But here, they let their ambitions fully loose and assemble four little monsters. What happens here is more like an assembly of separate pieces that sounded somewhat related. The only song that sounds more or less written as a monolithic block is the "space rock" anthem 'Yours Is No Disgrace', but the rest? I'm not so sure.</p>

<p>The instrumental breaks also sound a little less improvised than before, but who knows; maybe their jamming got tighter, but it might as well be all carefully sequences musical pieces. But what do I care? This record is excellent. All pieces have their merit, and there are a few minor classics to be found here. Both sides follow the same structure of having two major pieces separated (or joined together?) by shorter, <em>BUT NOT POP!!!</em>, songs. Side A works magnificently. Side B works too, but on a smaller scale. But let's see, 'Yours Is No Disgrace' is energetic, playful, evocative and very catchy, too. You've got a couple of main riffs (the hammer chords at the beginning, the "epic" synth line and so on), and a vocal theme that pops up first as a "spacey" chant, and later as a jazzy ditty... Yep! I mean it:one second they're going hyperspace with Moog lines and Howe's guitar fingering aplenty, and suddenly, everything stops and is replaced by a "dum-de-dum" bass line and a finger-snapping rhythm. See what I mean when I say it's hard to think of these songs as "monolithic" compositions? Just like that, the song goes on taking left turns into instrumental breaks with acoustic guitar solos, gentle chants of the main theme kicking straight into the space rock frenzy again. But heck,it's an exciting trip, and the scratchy sounds of the organ and the aggressively plucked bass guitar define pretty much the entire album.</p>

<p>The second epic of side A is the classic 'Starship Trooper', again, formed by a "main" theme which switches places with odd replacements. The main section is a gorgeous start-and-stop song, bombastic but not exaggerated, as it drifts through dreamy guitar lines and loud chords. It already makes the song into a well-deserved classic, and the "assembly" songwriting style goes on as Steve Howe suddenly breaks into an all-acoustic quasi-country send-up. Though it's nicely integrated into the song, even the band themselves didn't pretend that it wasn't a "separate" piece tacked-on for great effect. And it <em>works</em> like that! And the ending also follows the "modular" songwriting style, as Steve Howe breaks in with a quiet, simple but not trivial three-chord sequence. Slowly, the instruments begin to join in, and you'll already guess where the whole thing's headed, but, hey, that's a very well performed build-up, and a fair, balanced mix of refinement and excitement. As for the "linking piece" in the middle, it's an acoustic guitar solo by Steve Howe, recorded live. "Clap" (forever renamed 'The Clap', since it's been released here) is upbeat, energetic, good-humoured and catchy as heck. In itself, it's a very memorable piece, even standing tall next to the two songs surrounding it. It's a well deserved classic.</p>

<p>Side B, unsurprisingly, doesn't hold up well to the pressure. Keeping in mind that the songs are still extremely well written, they just don't have that <em>spark</em> of brilliance that make their side A counterparts such classics. 'A Venture', the short song in the middle, doesn't really stand out at all. For a "serious" piece, it's at least far better than 'The Prophet', if only for being more compact and concise. But in terms of content, it doesn't bring anything new. The same is not true for the two other songs, though! 'Perpetual Change' is another stab at an "epic", though overall very slow and sweeping, in not a very positive way. But the song is saved by its lighter parts, a few really good instrumental spots, and nice melodies. 'I've Seen All Good People' goes on a completely different path, though. It's blatantly a combination of two separate, very distinct tunes - one folksy, tuneful and gentle and one snappy, jazzy and repetitive-as-heck. And both are really good! This song is the carrier of that infamous, endlessly repeated phrase that leaves you scratching your head in puzzlement for a few seconds, before you shrug and stop caring about it to enjoy the actual music. "I've seen all good people turn their heads each day so satisfied I'm on my way"? Um, excuse me? I don't even know exactly whether there are any commas in that phrase. But, yeah, I suppose so. Whatever. What <em>really</em> matters is the band's performance, anyway; <em>and</em> the first half is very pretty, and it has pretty flutes! Very good, indeed.</p>

<p>This is, undoubtedly, a definitive album in Yes's career. My rating, thus, may seem too low for it, but it's just because I've never been able to enjoy it as much as certain other Yes albums, that's all. Or, in other terms, there was still room for improvement. And improve they DID. Let us proceed!</p>

<p class="ratingHeader">
  Rating:
</p>

<p class="rating">
  <big>Fun factor:  <strong>13/15</strong></big> - No doubt! Very nice, enjoyable music.<br />
  <big>Resonance:   <strong>11/15</strong></big> - Youthful idealism? Hmm, not much. Just a lot of ehh-who-knows.<br />
  <big>Originality: <strong>13/15</strong></big> - You betcha!<br />
  <big>Richness:    <strong>13/15</strong></big> - Completely filled with good music; very little to be desired.<br />
  <big>Solidness:   <strong>11/15</strong></big> - Not perfect, but it didn't need to be.
</p>

<p class="ratingFinale">
  Total: <img src="images/12.png" alt="12" />
</p>

<p>Comments? Thoughts? Complaints? <a href="mailto:sirmustapha@gmail.com">Mail me</a>!</p>

<hr />

<h2 id="fragile" class="best">Fragile (1972)</h2>
<p class="medium">
  Best song: <big>South Side Of The Sky</big>
</p>
<div class="medium">
  Track list:
</div>
<ol class="trackList">
  <li><span class="good">Roundabout ++</span></li>
  <li>Cans And Brahms</li>
  <li>We Have Heaven</li>
  <li><span class="good">South Side Of The Sky ++</span></li>
  <li>Five Per Cent For Nothing <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li><span class="good">Long Distance Runaround ++</span></li>
  <li>The Fish (Shindleria Praematurus) <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li><span class="good">Mood For A Day ++</span></li>
  <li>Heart Of The Sunrise <span class="good">+</span></li>
</ol>

<p>At last, Yes makes something we can call a big leap. And it all began as the band dumped keyboardist Tony Kaye in favour of synth/piano/Mellotron/whatnot wizard Rick Wakeman. To say that the keyboards department improved is a major understatement - Wakeman brings dozens and dozens of different keyboard sounds, and his frenetic, highly stylish playing style match the band's chemistry like mr. Kaye just couldn't hope to do. But the main thing is that, because they went pretty much broke paying the expenses of bringing him in, they wrapped up the four, finished compositions they had with five solo pieces - each one by one member of the band, obviously. And so, one of the biggest classics of progressive rock was born. <strong>Fragile</strong> consolidated the "classic" Yes sound, both the light and bouncy side of it and the dark, sombre one. With the five members on board, you have that magical combination of Squire's scratchy, grumbling bass guitar with Bill Bruford's snapp, perky drumming as the base of everything; on top of that, Steve Howe makes his usual guitar business and Wakeman flashes moments of utter cleverness and talent on the keyboard. And to round it all off, Jon Anderson showcases his deep, bluesy growl and lyrics filled with bitter satire and realism; yes, yes, I'm lying on that one. Just wanted to see if you were paying attention.</p>

<p>... hey, wake up. This isn't college, you know.</p>

<p>Yep, I really, really like the sound the band makes here. And to be honest, the four "finished" songs are where the sound is the most developed. But I never disliked the solo spots the least; even Rick Wakeman's much maligned 'Cans And Brahms' also had a fun, subtle hint of sarcasm in it - though I might as well be imagining things. All I know is that the executives did't allow him to include fragments from his own, previous solo pieces, so the track is mostly a hurriedly assembled throwaway, but I don't see anything <em>bad</em> in it. So yes, it's perfectly ok. As for Jon Anderson's 'We Have Heaven', it's kind of a caricature of the "idealism" of the first records, and it works wonders. Great ensemble of voices! The most "evolved" solo pieces here are Chris Squire's 'The Fish', an almost instrumental, almost improvisated piece featuring several layers of bass guitar; and Steve Howe's 'Mood For A Day', the "gentle" counterpart of 'The Clap', which is downright gorgeous, and one of the best songs here, in my opinion. As for Bill Bruford, his contribution is the 35-second-long crazy jazz send-up of 'Five Per Cent For Nothing', which is great! Irregular drum pattern bumping into dischordant bass, and resonating organ chords in strategic places. Brilliance!</p>

<p>And all this time, I've managed to evade the album's most impressive spots. The album brought one of the most fondly remembered Yes compositions <em>ever</em>, which might be their most commercially successful songs. 'Roundabout' is impressive in many aspects: it's sofisticated, tricky, catchy <em>and</em> accessible. Go ahead and say that this is music for the "lowly" listeners of classic rock radio, but a song that combines exciting rhythms, unexpected arrangements and sticky tunes like that displays at least a <em>bit</em> of cleverness. And really, it's irresistable, it's intoxicating and it's unforgettable, a classic in every sense of the word. And there is even better stuff here! And by that I mean 'South Side Of The Sky', which shows the more "evil" side of the band with a very intense and brilliant main musical theme. The performance is magnificent, and somehow, the playing and the production complement each other flawlessly to create that stormy, icy atmosphere (which is <em>exactly</em> what the lyrical matter intended). And halfway through, Wakeman breaks in with an intermezzo, showing that he can ALSO produce atmosphere on the piano, and a lighter band arrangement ensues with vocal harmonies aplenty and a wonderful melody. It momentarily brings to mind the "modular" songwriting on <strong>The Yes Album</strong>, though here, they REALLY make the two pieces fit. 'Roundabout', interestingly enough, seems to be the closest they ever got to a "solid" progressive rock epic so far, because it's pretty much written as a verse/chorus pop tune with exotic middle breaks. Cool, huh?</p>

<p>The "magnum opus" of the album is 'Heart Of The Sunrise', though its grandiosity doesn't really match the awesomeness of the side A songs. But really, it's excellently written and excellently performed - with a relatively simple riff and a not-so-simple riff, they assemble excellent instrumental breaks, and the sung portions break the pattern completely, going towards a bluesy ballad sorta thing. Sounds weird? Well, it is, and it's GOOD, too - and the ending is abruptly interrupted, only to finish the album in a rather unexpected way (listen to find out!... or read any other review). To finish namedropping all tracks, you can't forget the pop classic 'Long Distance Runaround', which combines all the Yes ingredients in a 3 minute, ultra-catchy song with a great ascending bass riff and a great little guitar theme. Pop Yes songs don't get much better than this, at least in the 70's. Ooh, yes, pop progressive. Who would have ever guessed. All this talk about progressive rock being elitist and conservative sounds really silly when you listen to this album. It's so catchy, so fun, and <em>still</em> so clever. These guys were proving that you didn't really need to make yourself look "enlightened" in order to be intelligent. Unfortunately, this was shortlived... So enjoy the record as much as you can! Don't miss it, really. It's one of the best things Prog Rock has to offer, and it's <em>undoubtedly</em> one of my favourite Prog records ever.</p>

<p class="ratingHeader">
  Rating:
</p>

<p class="rating">
  <big>Fun factor:  <strong>15/15</strong></big> - Need I say anything?<br />
  <big>Resonance:   <strong>15/15</strong></big> - The performances are so thrilling and convincing, it's not even funny.<br />
  <big>Originality: <strong>15/15</strong></big> - They found their own, unique brand of progressive rock here.<br />
  <big>Richness:    <strong>15/15</strong></big> - No doubt about it. Great music abounds.<br />
  <big>Solidness:   <strong>15/15</strong></big> - Somehow, everything fits. Nothing seems out of place, and nothing seems to lack.
</p>

<p class="ratingFinale">
  Total: <img src="images/15.png" alt="15" />
</p>

<p>Comments? Ideas? <a href="mailto:sirmustapha@gmail.com">Mail</a>!</p>

<hr />

<h2 id="edge">Close To The Edge (1972)</h2>
<p class="medium">
  Best song: <big>Close To The Edge</big>
</p>
<div class="medium">
  Track list:
</div>
<ol class="trackList">
  <li><span class="good">Close To The Edge ++</span></li>
  <li><span class="good">And You And I ++</span></li>
  <li><span class="good">Siberian Khatru ++</span></li>
</ol>

<p>As this album comes, it becomes evident that Yes's ambition had no limits back then. Here, they say bye-bye to short songs (those are for wussies!) and say hello to the philosophy of "quality, not quantity", and finally giving up completely the idea of making smart <em>and</em> accessible music. To hell with accessibility!</p>

<p>The fortunate thing is that they still had the chops to come up with GREAT music, and the final result has so much quality that quantity is, indeed, irrelevant. There are three songs (one of them, naturally, occupying an entire side of the LP), each one on a pretty distinct style - for Yes, that is. All three, though, are positive, sunny, and have lyrics that hardly ever try to make sense. This is one of those mysteries, you know: is this stuff really pure nonsense, or IS there a meaning to everything? The title track seems to have lyrics inspired by <em>Siddartha</em>, and there are several interpretations to them everywhere. So, yeah, maybe it's not just useless garbage. But it's all about the music,anyway! The band is extremely tight, the performances are all excellent, and the songs' lengths are fully justified. This is the recipe to a classic, ain't it? It is. And the album only loses to <strong>Fragile</strong>, in my opinion. I dunno, I still prefer the former's hyperactive cleverness, but the two albums complete each other.</p>

<p>The interesting thing about the album, though, is that the level of so called "complexity" is not very high here. The songs aren't written to be mindblowingly intricate, filled with twists that only a very dedicated brain can follow. This isn't King Crimson. The songs have simple structures, and are mostly spiced by instrumental breaks and such things. And it works extremely well, as we're about to see. The title track is a classic, built on a couple of very solid and very memorable themes. The main sung portions are structured very much in the verse/chorus fashion, in a very intelligent way, and they are bouncy and even quite catchy. As for the other sections, the band throws brilliant instrumental passages such as the intro, a high-speed swirl of irregular rhythm patterns, synth arpeggios and Steve Howe's guitar leading the way. The middle of the song halts the bouncy rhythm and turns everything into a sort of mystical ballad with organs, synthesizers and all sorts of effects and stuff. It's beautiful as heck, and almost something of a "classic within a classic". The whole song is much better than its individual parts, still, and it's one of the most memorable things Yes ever did.</p>

<p>The "mysticism" dies down a bit on side B, which is split in two radically different songs: a ballad and a rocker. 'Siberian Khatru' is the only track here that is not divided in "parts" - and indeed, it's very cohesive all the way through. And it bounces away magnificently, with dozens of proggish grooves, riffs, rhythm patterns and small crescendos. There's even a harpsichord solo. This can be thought of as a "non-pop" 'Roundabout', and it's almost as awesome as it. The melodies are somewhat more inventive, but like I said before, it's the excitement level that is lower. Oh, no harm, though. Finally, 'And You And I' is a wonderful "epic ballad" laden with acoustic guitar work by Howe on its folksy "verse" portions, with one of those joyfully catchy vocal melodies only the likes of Yes could come up with.And suddenly, out of nowhere, the song erupts into a grandiose tune filled with Wakeman's sweeping synthesizers and Howe's weeping slide guitar - <em>twice</em> that is: once in the middle of the track and again just before the end. The song gains a sense of grandiosity that isn't at all inadequate, and turns into another classic. Yes, all songs here are classics, in one way or another. See? When you've got quality, you <em>can</em> send quantity to Hell. Without any hesitation, I put this album as one of my favourites, and I don't care about any "controversy" over its pomposity and whatnot. Those who hate prog rock as a whole can stay far away from it, but hey, maybe they could try 'Siberian Khatru' for a change: it is THAT good.</p>

<p class="ratingHeader">
  Rating:
</p>

<p class="rating">
  <big>Fun factor:  <strong>15/15</strong></big> - Bite me! This stuff is enjoyable to the extreme.<br />
  <big>Resonance:   <strong>14/15</strong></big> - Like I said, the excitement factor isn't <em>quite</em> that high.<br />
  <big>Originality: <strong>14/15</strong></big> - This is pretty much the ultimate stablishment of the "Yes sound"; though they aren't breaking too many barriers.<br />
  <big>Richness:    <strong>15/15</strong></big> - No doubt about it.<br />
  <big>Solidness:   <strong>15/15</strong></big> - I wouldn't change anything in it.
</p>

<p class="ratingFinale">
  Total: <img src="images/14.png" alt="14" />
</p>

<p>Ideas? You can always <a href="mailto:sirmustapha@gmail.com">mail them to me</a>!</p>

<hr />

<h2 id="oceans">Tales From Topographic Oceans (1973)</h2>
<p class="medium">
  Best song: <big>The Remembering</big>
</p>
<div class="medium">
  Track list:
</div>
<ol class="trackList">
  <li>The Revealing Science Of God <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li>The Remembering <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li>The Ancient <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li>Ritual</li>
</ol>

<p>Bill Bruford quit the band, and went on to join King Crimson. Fortunately, Yes acquired Alan White, and his drumming style matched the band so well that, damn, you'd hardly notice any difference (superficially speaking). One of the reasons why Bill Bruford quit the band, reportedly, is that he didn't see much space for artistic growth within the band, and from that moment on, everything they did would be "the son of <strong>Close To The Edge</strong>". And know what? If he did say that, he was goddamn right. This album is not just the son of <strong>Close To The Edge</strong>, but is a <em>monster</em> of a son of <strong>Close To The Edge</strong>. There are four tracks in it, see? But it's a double LP. The mean song length is twenty minutes. But you should probably know that already, because if you ever heard about Yes, you probably heard about this album as well. This is the ultimate culmination of the band's wildest ambitions - more specifically, the ambitions of Jon Anderson and Steve Howe, which were sole writers of pretty much the entire record. Progressive rock was at the height of its popularity back then, and this album helped to create one of the main factors of the genre's downfall and eventual painful death. But I guess this was unintentional.</p>

<p>But it's understandable. The album saw no limits and no boundaries to its own ambitions. So much that those four tracks aren't even supposed to be seen as four songs: they're four movements to one single musical piece. Can you imagine that? An 80-minute Yes musical piece! If CDs were available back then, no doubt they'd let the song take up 70 minutes without breaks, and who knows what else. And this is just <em>one</em> aggravant. The lyrics are every bit as concrete and tangible as on <strong>Close To The Edge</strong> (i.e. not at all), and the music itself... The finished product sounds like they were coming up with ideas and just filling up the empty slots on the sides of the two vinyl discs. It's like Anderson and Howe woke up one day and said "hey, aren't sidelong epics really cool? Wouldn't it be cool to make a record with nothing but them? But two songs is too litle... we need TWO LP's! Now we just need some music to fill 'em up". And so this thing was born. The musical style is pretty much unchanged, even though it's more crystalised by now. And there's no longer the simple, smart song structures of before - these things are more like big musical labyrinths, with many different parts tied together not very tightly. And one of the problems come that, even though there are many <em>great</em> musical themes in the album, the flow isn't always very smooth, and ends up becoming quite tiresome.</p>

<p>But overall, I like this record very much. Like I said, the main problem is with the song structures. Sometimes, they seem very meandering - such as portions of 'Ritual', for example - and sometimes themes overlap each other without much apparent connection. The main positive point of the album is that, well, it's filled with beautiful musical themes, and most of them are well developed. I can find things to like in all songs here, and even thought the songs <em>do</em> start to meander at times, they are eventually redeemed and the final taste they leave is very, very pleasant. I guess the main problem comes from trying to stomach the whole thing at once. Say what you will, it <em>is</em> difficult. It was difficult even with Mike Oldfield's <strong>Incantations</strong>, which follows the same structure, and is even shorter. Eventually, though, <strong>Incantations</strong> managed to hold up very well in my mind, and now, I really love it. <strong>Tales From Topographic Oceans</strong> never managed to do that, but it's amazingly pleasant while it's on, and the best moments in it really do stay in my mind for long after it ends.</p>

<p>It's kind of difficult to choose a favourite track, here, as all of them have great moments. Perhaps 'Ritual' is somewhat weaker, compared to the others, as it meanders quite a tad. Yet, it does have the most impressive moment in the record, when the whole band engages on a Hellish percussion ensemble, with all sorts of drum rolls and metallic clinking, aided by Wakeman's synth blasts and scary, dissonant Mellotron chords. It manages to raise an amazing level of tension, and truly sticks out from the album. Not that it lacks energetic moments, though: 'The Ancient' also features some very tense moments, with unsettling uses of dissonance, eccentric guitar work by Steve Howe and intense band work. The rest of the album is considerably lighter, with faster, heavier passages here and there. 'The Remembering' is the closest to a "ballad" here, with nice sections filled with acoustic guitar work and group harmonies, only occasionally bursting into speedy, energetic passages. Some of the chants here are beautiful beyond descriptions, and the passages with grandiose Mellotrons are really great (let me tell you that I REALLY appreciate the amount of Mellotron in the album). 'The Revealing Science Of God' is the one track that most approaches the "classic" concept of a Yes epic, in terms of song structure, themes and group performance. It's pretty much a mosaic, really, and it might leave you stranded if you stop paying attention for a while. But, hey, overall it's great.</p>

<p>The band is also sure to include little spots to add some variety to the songs - some of them I've alreayd talked about here, but my favourite's got to be the end of 'The Ancient', which breaks abruptly from the quirky band performance into an acoustic guitar solo number by Steve Howe, much in the vein of 'Mood For A Day', except it eventually turns into a beautiful, folky little vocal number. So you see, it's hard to call this stuff <em>monotonous</em> - though it can become dull eventually, because the music lacks the big, strong <em>hooks</em> the previous Yes compositions had, and the band doesn't sound exactly <em>excited</em> here. Wakeman, for one, was extremely discontent with the project, to the point where he stopped caring about the live performances and ended up quitting the band. The real shame is that, though the project <em>is</em> a real compromise in its very conception, the band <em>did</em> have the chops the pull the project off mastery. But something in the concoction wasn't working, and the final result underwhelms in several aspects. Still, they were <em>Yes</em>, and weren't at all ready to suck. I enjoy this record, and to those who think they can stomach anything Prog-related, this is a must-have, if only because it's so historically relevant. And to the album's detractors, I just want to assure you that those who like it aren't <em>necessarily</em> snubby elitists. Just to make it clear. And, yes, of course, I think the yeasayers and the naysayers can all still be friends. Screw that "factions" thing! We're all brothers, aren't we, Jon?</p>

<p><em>But look out, in the night,<br />
Wait, for they arrive<br />
To start such sciences anew!<br />
Here it is the coming of outer space!</em></p>

<p>Err... okay.</p>

<p class="ratingHeader">
  Rating:
</p>

<p class="rating">
  <big>Fun factor:  <strong>12/15</strong></big> - Sort of... err, okay. Sort of.<br />
  <big>Resonance:   <strong>11/15</strong></big> - It lacks energy, many times. But the beautiful moments do work in its favour.<br />
  <big>Originality: <strong>12/15</strong></big> - Usual Yes Prog stuff, only puffed up!<br />
  <big>Richness:    <strong>13/15</strong></big> - You know... The musical themes ARE strong.<br />
  <big>Solidness:   <strong>12/15</strong></big> - Four interlocking pieces of music and all that jazz. It works.
</p>

<p class="ratingFinale">
  Total: <img src="images/12.png" alt="12" />
</p>

<p><em>Reader comments:</em></p>

<div class="commentsHeader">
      <strong><a href="mailto:ACAND@doh.health.nsw.gov.au">Alex Canduci</a> (May 6, 2004):</strong>
</div>

<div class="comments">

<p>Counterpoint: <strong>Tales From Topographic Oceans</strong></p>

<p>SUMMARY: aka: How to take a few good ideas and blow them up beyond all 
proportion...</p>

<p>Ah yes... <strong>Tales From Topographic Oceans</strong>. As Fernie mentioned, this double album is hated by a lot of people, for which there is much justification. Fernie on the other hand seems to like this a lot. I stand somewhere in the middle. I like it, but... but...</p>

<p>This album has a lot of problems.</p>

<p>Jon Anderson has been quoted as saying that this album is a meeting of high ideals and low energy, and I think he is quite right. The first thing to notice is that this album has lousy production values. The thing that has always given Yes its distinctive flavour has been the relative high place in the mix that bass and drums have had. This is virtually absent for the first 3 tracks, and only 'Ritual' has the production of former Yes albums. Now this wouldn't be a problem if the tracks were 5 minutes long, but at 20 minutes, they lack that energy brought by Squire and previously Bruford. I can only guess that this was deliberate, to maximise "their" song, 'Ritual'. The perfect example is the "Relayer" (song, not album) section of 'The Remembering' - the first section should be powerful and in your face. Instead it just sits there. It is only during the second time the Relayer section appears that it really takes off, and briefly before it gets submerged in the mellotron beyond.</p>

<p>Secondly, the length of the tracks. Songs should only be 20 minutes in length, if the musical material can justify it. In all four tracks, it cannot. The most common criticism that is expressed (which I subscribe to) is that if each track had 5 minutes snipped off it (and in the case of 'The Ancient', close to 10), it would have been a brilliant recording. Perhaps releasing it as two EPs, instead of 2 LPs?</p>

<p>Don't get me wrong, there are some majestic bits to the album - the beginning and end of 'Revealing Science of God', the Relayer sections of 'The Remembering', the acoustic sections of 'The Ancient', and most of 'Ritual' (just lose the drum solos, please!).</p>

<p>Personally, I can get through most of the recording. Where I get lost is on 'The Ancient', with Steve Howe's soloing over some of the most annoying passages ever recorded. I get that he was trying to incorporate some of the guitar stylings and language of John McLaughlin, but this is just bad.</p>

<p>Alan White's drumming is acceptable, but it does miss Bruford's more flamboyant approach (which might have made it a more accessible, rather than pompous album).</p>

<p>Overall, I like it, but I wish it were shorter. This album (along with <strong>Passion Play</strong>, <strong>Lamb</strong> and <strong>Works Vol. 1</strong>) have been used to endlessly ridicule Prog Rock. I think that is very unfair. Each has merit, and were trying to stretch Prog Rock to the limit, which is a worthwhile objective. And the songs themselves have a lot to recommend them. It is just uninformed rock critics who take that line, which only shows their ignorance.</p>

<p>If they really wanted an album that could be used to ridicule Prog Rock, they should turn to '<strong>Love Beach</strong>' by ELP.</p>

<p>Alex Canduci<br />
Land of Oz</p>
</div>

<div class="commentsHeader">
      <strong><a href="mailto:jesper.erlandsson@telia.com">Jesper Erlandsson</a> (May 14, 2004):</strong>
</div>

<div class="comments">

<p>Thank you for giving sutch good opinion on <strong>The topographic oceans</strong> album. I hate when people try to dictate other people`s tastes; music is not objectiv. I`ve read some bad and good reviews about the album before yours and there where some reallly strange opinions about the album; "Dont listen to the progrockers who think they know best, trying to tell you that this is a good album. I know good symphonic music when I hear it and <strong>Topographic oceans</strong> isn`t one of these."<br />
Just like you I didn`t love the music that much the first time I put in my stereo. I think it was around the year 2000 or something; then I was really in to the eighties music of Yes. But I really think there`s something mystical about the album, and I actually listen to one or two of the songs before I get to sleep to get in the right mood. =) I just wanna thank you for a very good review on this one. Just as I said; music cannot be judges in a objectiv way, and I get quite upset when people try to tell others what good music is all about!!</p>
 
<p>Have a great time<br />
Jesper/ Sweden</p>
</div>

<p><a href="mailto:sirmustapha@gmail.com">This is the link to my e-mail address</a>.</p>

<hr />

<h2 id="relayer">Relayer (1975)</h2>
<p class="medium">
  Best song: <big>The Gates Of Delirium</big>
</p>
<div class="medium">
  Track list:
</div>
<ol class="trackList">
  <li><span class="good">The Gates Of Delirium ++</span></li>
  <li>Sound Chaser <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li>To Be Over <span class="good">+</span></li>
</ol>

<p>The previous album really attained a strange status: one of the most important albus in the history of progressive rock (not <em>necessarily</em> in a positive way), one of the worst albums ever, one of the best albums ever... and so on. If <em>I</em> were responsible for such a strange thing, I'd probably try to head towards a new direction, try to do something new, or sort of. I mean, you already reached the <em>epitome</em> of your ambitions, and what do you do next? Walk steadily downhill? Try to attain a more stable reputation? It's a tough thing. But this band is Yes, you know. And what did <em>they</em> do next? Well, exactly the same thing they'd been doing all along!</p>

<p>Yes, yes, okay, so that's not entirely true. Here, it seems the band took it easy on the mysticism and esoterism and,of course, stuck to recording a single LP. Quality, not quantity, man! 4 tracks are too many. The finished result, not only feels <em>slightly</em> more down to earth, but also presents the punchier, more aggressive (please, don't snicker!) side of Yes, with the fierce rhythms, frontal guitar assaults and so on (okay, snicker away). This change of sound is made more evident by the playing style of Rick Wakeman's substitute, Patrik Moraz. His synthesizers have much more piercing, stinging sounds, and he goes all jazzy and eccentric all the time. In short, those who despised <strong>Tales From Topographic Oceans</strong> either for its monstrousness or for its "heavenliness" (or both) will find some comfort in <strong>Relayer</strong> - especially considering it's a VERY good album!</p>

<p>In a way, this record is almost like they decided to "go back" to <strong>Close To The Edge</strong> and start over again, going towards a new direction. And it worked, because the songwriting is much denser than usual. There's hardly any second of music wasted in these three compositions, and like on <strong>Close To The Edge</strong>, each one fulfills a different role. 'The Gates Of Delirium' is over twenty minutes long, and it is structured much more like a "suite" with several, closely linked, fully developed movements. And thus, it manages to be one of Yes's most memorable, intelligent and interesting compositions. It doesn't have the grandeur of 'Close To The Edge', but it does have several adrenalin-laden moments, and the enjoyment factor is high at all times. Stuctured to follow a battle sequence - similarly to Pink Floyd's 'A Saucerful Of Secrets', but with much more focus on riffs and development of themes, and with hardly any of those freaky noises (though they have a few!). What is pretty impressive is that the band creates an awful lot of <em>tension</em> with the music, thus justifying all the tricky passages, changing patterns and suchlike. Steve Howe's guitar is very prominent throughout, and there's little of the heavenly textures of yore - like I said, it's far more down-to-Earth. The increase in tension is nearly constant until it reaches the bombastic middle section, when all hell breaks loose and the riffs just <em>never</em> stop coming - odd time signatures, nasty synth tones (in a good way), band interplay, snippets of chaotic sounds and sound effects and so on reign supreme, without ever overstaying their welcome. The suite ends with a contemplative ballad, which is pretty much a song on its own. And a gorgeous one, of course, one of those things that only Yes can pull off. Once again, the weeping guitar sounds make their presence felt, and the ending is very, very lovely. This is a highlight in the band's entire catalogue.</p>

<p>Side B does not disappoint, though! It's a considerably more eccentric side, though, with the exquisite 'Sound Chaser', a track that mixes up Yes's fiercest, rawest rock sound with jazz influences and anything else they could put their hands on. The basis for the song is a fast, acrobatic riff that pops up through the entire track in several different tempoes and shapes, but along the way you get all sorts of instrumental breaks with Patrik Moraz throwing in manic keyboard solos, Steve Howe pulling out eerie notes from the guitar, and even some drum trashing by Alan White and "tribal" chants by the group. Whaddahell? Yeah, go figure! This is like a Yes nightmare come to life. But it is funny and exciting, though! Sort of. It's everything at once. 'To Be Over' goes on a considerably more pleasant path, also with several little themes and melodies popping up, a strange "farewell" atmosphere and slight Eastern influences. The ending is quite grandiose, with the whole group coming together and Howe's high pitched whimpers on top. It's a great closer to the album and rounds everything off well. This album is a must have to any decent Yes fan, and also recommended to those who like their prog rock noisy and thrilling. Give it a try, I say. You won't find such a whacked out Yes sound anywhere else.</p>

<p class="ratingHeader">
  Rating:
</p>

<p class="rating">
  <big>Fun factor:  <strong>13/15</strong></big> - Excitement factor is up there, WAY up there!<br />
  <big>Resonance:   <strong>13/15</strong></big> - Evocative at parts, exciting at others. I have little or no complaints here.<br />
  <big>Originality: <strong>12/15</strong></big> - It's more or less the same Prog formula, only jazzed up a bit, and very fresh.<br />
  <big>Richness:    <strong>14/15</strong></big> - Leaves nothing to be desired. Nothing.<br />
  <big>Solidness:   <strong>13/15</strong></big> - There isn't much <em>flow</em>, but the three tracks complement each other very well.
</p>

<p class="ratingFinale">
  Total: <img src="images/13.png" alt="13" />
</p>

<p>Raves? Rants? <a href="mailto:sirmustapha@gmail.com">Mail me</a>!</p>

<hr />

<h2 id="one">Going For The One (1977)</h2>
<p class="medium">
  Best song: <big>Turn Of The Century</big>
</p>
<div class="medium">
  Track list:
</div>
<ol class="trackList">
  <li><span class="good">Going For The One ++</span></li>
  <li><span class="good">Turn Of The Century ++</span></li>
  <li>Parallels <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li>Wonderous Stories <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li><span class="good">Awaken ++</span></li>
</ol>

<p>Wakeman is back - and so are all the good old synthesizer sounds and piano playing. And the songwriting changes, as well. There's less of that zany, noisy style, and also less worry with making "epic" progressive pieces. Complexity for its own sake? Well, Yes never really went that far (though many might disagree), but you can hardly talk about the "complexity" of these songs as much as you could about the songs in the previous three albums. This is nearly a return to <strong>Fragile</strong>! The main difference being that there are no short interludes. Come to think of it, yes, this is closer to <strong>Fragile</strong> than to any other Yes record. And the results are excellent! There's a balance between compact, tight songwriting and tricky arrangements, making the record both accessible and impressive.</p>

<p>And it's quirky in some ways, too. You'd never guess, but the title track starts off as a boogie woogie. Might be just a little joke, to lighten the mood before the proper album begins, but the song itself is incredibly strong, catchy and entertaining. The band sounds very confident, and all the instruments are given a lot of space, which they fill up very intelligently. The structure follows nothing other than the old, trusty Staff of Verse/Chorus Simplicity +4, with only a considerably lengthy ending section (which gets close to saturation point, really), and that only shows how Yes was able to pen simple and striking songs, and that they weren't just good with "long" songs. But that should be clear by now. Still, that was their first short song in, what? Five years? ("WHAT A SURPRISE!!!") Must have been the influence of the Punk movement, eh? Damn those Sex Pistols, reducing the length of the average Yes song! Yeah, no doubt the changing of the musical scene might have influenced the Yesmen somehow, but the results, judging by the album, are more than great.</p>

<p>And the tendency is confirmed on the rest of the album. 'Wonderous Stories' is so tender, sweet and tuneful that it's almost 1969 all over again - only with Wakeman's swirling synthesizer lines instead of the organ chords. It's <em>really</em>, honestly a great tune, and almost a highlight here. 'Parallels' is surprising, also, though taking the shape of a full-fledged, full-propulsion rocker with a four chord church organ riff, and once again, all instruments (and vocals!) entwined in tricky, exciting arrangements. And the rhythms employed are extra groovy, as well. If the dense, full arrangements are too much for you, the album is balanced by the gorgeous ballad 'Turn Of The Century', with some of the most genuinely touching melodies and arrangements the band ever pulled off. Jon Anderson's vocals come across magnificently, and the combination of Howe's acoustic guitar and Wakeman's piano is something unique in Yes's catalogue, and the gentle build-up through the sung verses, the instrumental section, the cathartic climax and the dying guitar notes achieves an effect that Yes had never achieved before, and probably never achieved again. It's excellent and it's grand, one of Yes's very best.</p>

<p>Side B reveals the 15-minute epic 'Awaken', which Jon Anderson openly declares the best thing he ever did with the band. And who knows? Maybe it <em>is</em> the best thing he did. It's certainly a very accomplished, refined composition, with a style that differs considerably from their previous works. Following the album's overall sound, it's very dense, powerful and wholesome, with sections that reach levels of intensity even higher than those on 'The Gates Of Delirium', and it helps that Howe works real hard on his guitar to produce masterful solos. Still, the song is balanced by quieter sections, including the "hazy" arrangement of the intro and outro and a tension building intermezzo which unfolds into the final, cathartic finale. Some might complain about the "overbearing" arrangement, and yes, the song really has a fairly more demanding sound (the finale's chord progression is pretty much <em>entirely</em> made of nothing but the circle of fourths), but I like it a real lot. It's not quite as inventive as their previous works, but it's an impressive performance still.</p>

<p>This album was something of a promising "restart" for the band, with Rick Wakeman back on board, and Hipgnosis assigned to design the artwork instead of Roger Dean. Yes, it was promising, but the promise seemingly didn't work too well. Aw, but what the hell? This album is one of the Yes greats (or, if we want to stick to the ethymology, <em>Yesgreats</em>), and is highly recommended to the whole family. Get it if you can.</p>

<p class="ratingHeader">
  Rating:
</p>

<p class="rating">
  <big>Fun factor:  <strong>14/15</strong></big> - What do you know? There's not one wasted moment here.<br />
  <big>Resonance:   <strong>13/15</strong></big> - There are VERY high moments here, but the "huge" sound sometimes reduces the effect.<br />
  <big>Originality: <strong>12/15</strong></big> - A somewhat more updated sound? Yeah, sort of, but no great shakes in that aspect.<br />
  <big>Richness:    <strong>14/15</strong></big> - Oh, yes, this album really overwhelms.<br />
  <big>Solidness:   <strong>13/15</strong></big> - Just excellently dandy.
</p>

<p class="ratingFinale">
  Total: <img src="images/13.png" alt="13" />
</p>

<p>I beg to return to <a href="mailto:sirmustapha@gmail.com">hear your Wonderous Comments</a>...</p>

<hr />

<p><a href="index.htm">Back to the Reviews Page index</a></p>

<p>
  <a href="http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=referer"><img
      src="http://www.w3.org/Icons/valid-xhtml10"
      alt="Valid XHTML 1.0!" height="31" width="88" /></a>
</p>

</body>

</html>